In the fall of 2008, the US electorate issued a strong mandate for Democrats and the first black president.
In the fall of 2010, Democrats were crushed at the polls.
As we look ahead to the possibility of regaining the White House and a majority in Congress in 2021, Democrats need to ask ourselves if there are any lessons to be learned from 2009-10 to avoid being a one-act regime again.
With the benefit of hindsight, my suggestion is that Democrats focus on the following failures of 2009-2010 and ask themselves how they are going to avoid repeating those mistakes.
1) Failure to deliver on a Medicare buy-in. The avatar for this defeat was a Democrat, Joe Lieberman. If Lieberman had not been elected, it’s a mystery as to whether another Democrat would have filled his role in killing this legislation which was popular with both Democrats and Republicans.
2) Failure to deliver on climate change legislation (Markey-Waxman).
3) Failure to prosecute Wall St. fraud which led to the market collapse and millions of American’s losing their life saving. This is on Obama.
4) Failure to speak to the topic of growing income and wealth inequality. This is also on Obama.
5) With hindsight and the controversial publication of John Podesta’s e-mail’s, we now know that almost the entirety of Obama’s 2008 cabinet selections were on a list recommended by Citigroup executive Michael Froman before the 2008 election.
wikileaks.org/...
While the voting public wasn’t aware of #5 at the time, it’s arguable that they could feel it in 2010. More importantly, we know it now. We also know that the author Froman went on to become Obama’s trade rep and led secret negotiations on TPP for 6+ years.
As we look ahead to the 2020 election, there is enough anti-GOP unity to win in 2020. Democrats don’t really have to offer much more than a contrast to Trump to motivate people to vote for them. In 2022 and beyond, that won’t be the story.
I support Bernie because he offers a very clear contrast to the Obama Administration. But electing Bernie isn’t enough. We have to identify the modern day Lieberman’s who are laying in wait to torpedo legislation that is popular with the vast majority of American’s and defeat them in primaries. We have to acknowledge the allure of lobbying riches and the pipeline of Democratic Party standard bearers (Dick Gephardt, Tom Daschle, Howard Dean, Barney Frank, Lieberman, etc.) into the ranks of corporate interests upon retirement.
We don’t have this discussion in America because the corporate interests have been allowed to buy almost all of the media. Let’s have that discussion here.
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